Migraine Headaches

What is a headache, exactly?

Headaches are either primary or secondary. Primary headaches are discrete conditions not caused by underlying disease. Secondary headaches, on the other hand, are a symptom of certain underlying illnesses or conditions (e.g., stroke, infection, high blood pressure).

Primary headaches result from overactivity in the pain-sensitive areas in the head, including the blood vessels, muscles, and nerves. Primary headaches include tension, sinus, cluster, rebound, and trigeminal headaches, and the following can trigger them:

• Abnormal sleep patterns

• Changes in the weather

• Anxiety and Stress

• Hormonal fluctuations (e.g., menstruation)

What is a migraine?

Migraines are primary headaches that tend to be debilitating and long-lasting. They cause intense, pulsing pain that usually affects just one area of the head and can last for several days. More than 10% of people in the United States suffer from migraines.

Migraines can occur with or without an aura, a period characterized by blind spots, flashing lights, zig-zag visual patterns, and pricking sensations. A migraine may also cause uncomfortable symptoms like nausea, vomiting, photosensitivity, or sensitivity to sound.

What causes migraines?

Each patient who suffers from migraines may have different triggers that instigate the attacks. The common causes and triggers include the following:

• Fatigue

• Genetics

• Stress or anxiety

• Hormonal changes

• Insomnia

• Bright or flashing lights

• Strong odors

• Food allergies, food additives, or alcohol

What should I do when I get a headache?

Headaches can potentially be caused by a severe illness or simply caused by stress.  Sudden, severe headaches without a discernible cause may be symptomatic of a stroke.

If you think you’re having a stroke, you should seek emergency medical attention, particularly if you feel dizzy, confused, physically numb or weak, and if you have problems seeing or speaking.  You can also visit one of our providers for an urgent care evaluation to see if the headache is a migraine. 

How are headaches treated?

Each person’s headache has a different set of triggers and causes. The team at the Integrative Pain Institute uses state-of-the-art diagnostic technology to rule out dangerous underlying conditions and determine the causes of your headaches.

Treatments may include the following:

• Medications

• Supplements

• Physical therapies

• Nerve Block injections

• Botox

• IV infusion therapy

 
Botulinum for Migraines

One of our most innovative techniques to provide you with fast headache relief is a nerve block. A nerve block involves injection medication into or near a cluster of nerves in order to numb the pain sensors. It stops certain signals from getting to the brain, preventing you from feeling pain or sensitivity in certain regions.

Unfortunately, migraines are a growing problem for Americans.  Some patients experience severe migraines that can last for many hours per day and several days per month.  Luckily, Botox is a long lasting pain relief treatment for severe migraines.

You’ve probably heard of Botox injections for wrinkle reductions in the face. However, you might not know about its headache pain relief properties. It’s a great way to help treat severe chronic migraines.  By injecting Botox into different parts of the head, we can help to prevent your chronic migraines and get you back to your normal lifestyle.

During the procedure, your doctor will make injections around your neck and head in an effort to alleviate pain. In most cases, pain relief lasts for three to four months after the initial treatment, with the possibility of having three to four treatments a year.

Our Pain Specialists are excellent at treating migraines and headaches to alleviate pain, restore function and optimize health.   When you want to learn how to manage headache pain, dramatically improve your quality of life, and receive migraine headache treatment in Dallas, Plano or McKinney Texas, contact the team at the Integrative Pain by phone or use the online form.

We service patients from all over the DFW area including North Dallas, Addison, Carrollton, Plano, Garland, Irving, Allen, Richardson, and University Park, Highland Park, Frisco and McKinney. 

https://www.integrativepaininstitute.com/blog/5-benefits-to-migraine-headache-treatments

https://www.integrativepaininstitute.com/blog/botox-for-migraines

https://www.integrativepaininstitute.com/blog/headaches-and-migraines

https://www.integrativepaininstitute.com/blog/5-tips-for-avoiding-migraine-triggers